Multiple grade I winner Borrego, who missed a recent workout while attempting to make the March 4 Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) without benefit of a prep race for trainer Beau Greely, has not been withdrawn from consideration for the race.
Sunday, February 12, 2006Borrego, who vaulted to the top of the handicap ranks last year with surprise victories in consecutive $1 million races on opposite coasts, will skip a prep race and train up to the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) at 1 ¼ miles on March 4, trainer Beau Greely said.
Sunday, January 29, 2006Often accused of failing to realize his awesome potential, Rock Hard Ten brought his true knockout punch to Saturday's $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), pulling away for a decisive 1 3/4-length victory over the strongest field he is yet to face.
Saturday, March 05, 2005As the rains arrived once again in Southern California Friday morning, Saint Liam, winner of the Donn Handicap (gr. I) bedded down with Bobby Frankel's horses at Santa Anita after making the trip from Florida Thursday in uneventful fashion.
Friday, March 04, 2005An old-fashioned East vs. West match-up between Saint Liam and Rock Hard Ten looms in Saturday's $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I).
Wednesday, March 02, 2005Mr.& Mrs. William Warren's Saint Liam worked six furlongs handily in 1:12 at the Palm Meadows training center Saturday morning in preparation for his engagement in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap March 5.
Saturday, February 26, 2005Donn Handicap (gr. I) winner St. Liam has joined the probable field for the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) March 5, according to racing secretary Rick Hammerle.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) candidate Borrego should be nicknamed "The Rainmaker."
Sunday, February 13, 2005Returning to the scene of his lone United States victory, lightly raced Lundy's Liability registered a smart win over Truly a Judge in the San Antonio Handicap (gr. II) at Santa Anita Park Sunday.
Sunday, February 06, 2005Eddie Delahoussaye, one of the greatest jockeys in Thoroughbred history, will be honored at a March 5 Santa Anita Park winner's circle ceremony on Santa Anita Handicap day.
Sunday, January 30, 2005Santa Anita Park joins the worldwide relief effort to aid the victims of the massive Indian Ocean tsunami by auctioning off a special day at the races on March 5, Santa Anita Handicap day.
Thursday, January 06, 2005A total of 10 grade I stakes and more than $12 million in stakes money will be up for grabs when Santa Anita Park kicks off its 85-day winter/spring meeting Dec. 26 with the Malibu Stakes (gr. I).
Friday, December 03, 2004The March 6 Santa Anita Handicap highlighted the first of six two-hour presentations of horse racing from Santa Anita Park on HDNet, a television network dedicated to the high definition format.
Monday, March 08, 2004Pleasantly Perfect, the 6-5 morning line favorite for Saturday's $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), was declared from the race Friday morning due to a fever, trainer Richard Mandella said.
Friday, March 05, 2004The 67th running of the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap on Saturday kicks off a live weekend racing show on KDOC-TV (Channel 56) for the remainder of the meeting.
Thursday, March 04, 2004HorseRacing TV™ (HRTV) will set a single day network record when it offers live coverage of 18 stakes races from the Middle East and throughout the United States on Saturday, March 6.
Thursday, March 04, 2004From forgotten prospect to the doorstep of greatness, Pleasantly Perfect leads the field as the 6-5 morning favorite in Saturday's 67th running of the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I).
Wednesday, March 03, 2004Island Fashion, who has won consecutive grade I races at seven furlongs, hopes to make history Saturday by becoming the first filly to win the grade I, 1 1/4-mile Santa Anita Handicap.
Tuesday, March 02, 2004Southern Image worked five furlongs Sunday on Santa Anita's fast main track in :58 3/5 in his final major prep for Saturday's $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I). Afterward, trainer Mike Machowsky pronounced the winner of the Malibu Stakes (gr. I) and the Sunshine Millions Classic ready to go.
Sunday, February 29, 2004Grade I winner Sarava will not be in the gate for Saturday's $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) because of his weight assignment, trainer Bob Baffert said.
Sunday, February 29, 2004Strub Stakes (gr. II) winner Domestic Dispute worked a half-mile in :47 2/5 over Santa Anita's fast main track Wednesday morning and could make his next start in the March 6 Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), trainer Paddy Gallagher said.
Wednesday, February 25, 2004No filly has ever won the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), but Island Fashion could become the first in 67 runnings of the 10-furlong race on March 6.
Wednesday, February 25, 2004With rain forecast over much of the next few days, Mandella accelerated the work schedules of Pleasantly Perfect and male 2-year-old colt champion Action This Day, working both Friday.
Friday, February 20, 2004Breeders' Cup Classic - Presented by Dodge (gr. I) winner Pleasantly Perfect worked seven furlongs in 1:25.40 at Santa Anita Monday as he prepped for the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) on March 6.
Monday, February 16, 2004Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) winner Pleasantly Perfect worked five furlongs in 1:01 at Santa Anita Tuesday morning with regular rider Alex Solis in the saddle. Annother notable name on Santa Anita's worktab Tuesday was Palos Verdes Handicap (gr. II) hero Bluesthestandard, who fired a bullet three furlongs in :35 1/5.
Tuesday, February 10, 2004Travers Stakes (gr. I) winner Ten Most Wanted will not make his 4-year-old debut in the Feb. 7 Strub Stakes (gr. II) as originally expected, trainer Wally Dollase confirmed Friday.
Friday, January 16, 2004Sarava, who has raced only once in the nearly 19 months since capturing the 2002 Belmont Stakes (gr. I), is being pointed toward a probable start in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), trainer Bob Baffert said.
Thursday, December 11, 2003Santa Anita opens its winter-spring meet on Dec. 26. The California track will offer 60 stakes races in the meet's 84 days of racing.
Wednesday, December 03, 2003Milwaukee Brew, one of only two horses to win multiple runnings of the Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), injured an ankle during Sunday's running of the Pacific Classic (gr. I) and will not race again this year.
Tuesday, August 26, 2003They rolled out the red carpet on Fourth Street in Louisville, Ky. Saturday night for the much-anticipated premiere of Seabiscuit at the palatial Palace Theater. Blood-Horse senior correspondent Steve Haskin reviews the movie.
Monday, July 21, 2003Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) winner Milwaukee Brew was doing well, but running a slight fever the day after his historic repeat victory in the $1 million race, trainer Bobby Frankel reported Sunday morning. However, the conditioner wasn't too concerned about the 6-year-old son of Wild Again missing much training.
Sunday, March 02, 2003Milwaukee Brew joins John Henry as the only back-to-back Big 'Cap winners after a classic struggle with Congaree.
Saturday, March 01, 2003Though it won't feature the marquee matchup most race fans had hoped for, Stonerside Stable's homebred Congaree still needs to get past a formidable foe from Bobby Frankel's barn to win Saturday's Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I): defending champion Milwaukee Brew.
Thursday, February 27, 2003Edmund Gann's Medaglia d'Oro will miss Saturday's Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) because trainer Bobby Frankel is dissatisfied with the colt's 124-pound impost.
Tuesday, February 25, 2003Bobby Frankel confirmed Sunday morning that Strub Stakes winner Medaglia d'Oro will run in Saturday's $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I).
Sunday, February 23, 2003Trainer Rafael Becerra sent out his two Triple Crown hopefuls, Crackup and Sum Trick, for works over a fast Santa Anita main track Friday morning.
Saturday, February 22, 2003The Tin Man, second by a nose to stablemate Johar in his most recent start, will carry top weight of 121 pounds as the expected favorite in Saturday's $200,000 San Luis Obispo Handicap (gr. IIT) at 1 ½ mile on turf at Santa Anita Park.
Thursday, February 13, 2003Milwaukee Brew is set to defend his title for owner Frank Stronach and trainer Bobby Frankel in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) on March 1, but with war drums in the Middle East beating loudly, Frankel could add Strub Stakes (gr. II) winner Medaglia d'Oro to the Big 'Cap mix.
Wednesday, February 12, 2003Diamond A Racing Corporation's Pleasantly Perfect, on a stakes path for the Santa Anita Handicap March 1, worked four furlongs in :48 2/5 handily over the Arcadia track Wednesday.
Wednesday, December 18, 2002Milwaukee Brew's victory in the Santa Anita Handicap gave trainer Bobby Frankel his third straight million-dollar California stakes win
Saturday, March 02, 2002The Richard Mandella-trained Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) duo of Cagney and Kudos were both put through their final drills Wednesday morning in preparation for Saturday's $1 million event, set at 1 1/4 miles over the main track.
Wednesday, February 27, 2002Mizzen Mast, the Strub Stakes (gr. II) winner and likely favorite for Saturday's $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I), will miss the race due to a quarter crack, trainer Bobby Frankel said Sunday morning.
Sunday, February 24, 2002Freedom Crest is being prepared to make his 6-year-old debut in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) on March 2. The Kentucky-bred son of To Freedom last raced in October, when last in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) after defeating Tiznow and Skimming in the Goodwood Breeders' Cup Hnadicap (gr. II).
Saturday, February 23, 2002Nelson Bunker Hunt's Seinne will attempt to become the fourth surface switching stakes winner of the young Santa Anita meet when trainer Ron McAnally sends out the Chilean-bred in Saturday's $200,000 San Pasqual Handicap (gr. III).
Wednesday, January 02, 2002The great ones find a way to get past it all. Enough commotion had swirled around Tiznow and his preparation for the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) that by the time the actual race rolled around, some were wondering why he was even there to begin with. As if his drab effort in last month's Strub Stakes (gr. II) wasn't reminder enough, Tiznow's days leading up to the Big 'Cap were like a roll call of mishaps, evil vibes, and plain bad karma. Lest we forget, this is the same horse who was a no-name last spring and Horse of the Year five months later, and the same animal whose grueling fall campaign left fans and hardboots alike in awe. No, he's not impervious to pain or the elements, but there may just be nothing that can stop him
Tuesday, March 06, 2001Breeders' Cup Classic winner and Horse of the Year Tiznow drew post position No. 5 Thursday for the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap this weekend. The 4-year-old colt is the 8-5 morning line favorite, followed by the Bob Baffert-trained Wooden Phone, who upset Tiznow in the Strub Stakes, at 5-1. Wooden Phone drew the No. 2 hole. Thirteen horses have been entered in the prestigious race, including turf champion Bienamado and grade II winner Guided Tour.
Thursday, March 01, 2001Tiznow, the 2000 Horse of the Year who was upset in his last start, is questionable for Saturday's $1-million Santa Anita Handicap. According to the Los Angeles Times, the colt is still being plagued by foot problems. "It's better than even money that he'll be able to run," trainer Jay Robbins said Monday night. "A lot will depend on how he comes out of a gallop [today]."
Tuesday, February 27, 2001European import Jorrocks cleared quarantine and arrived at trainer Bob Hess Jr.'s barn Wednesday ready to roll in the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap on March 3. "We bought him specifically to run in this race," said Hess. In other Big 'Cap developments, Horse of the Year Tiznow was among those working Thursday in preparation for the grade I test.
Friday, February 23, 2001With the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap only 11 days away, a star-studded field is rounding into shape, with Horse of the Year Tiznow, Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes runner-up Aptitude and turf star Bienamado all likely to make the starting gate for the 64th running of the 1 1/4-mile event. Also scheduled for Big 'Cap day is the $400,000 Kilroe Mile on the Camino Real turf course for older horses while Santa Anita Derby hopefuls will traverse two turns in the one-mile, $200,000 San Rafael Stakes.
Tuesday, February 20, 2001Aptitude, runner-up in last year's Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes will make his first start of the new year in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap March 3, according to trainer Bobby Frankel.
In his most recent drill, Aptitude worked six furlongs in 1:13.20, handily, Feb. 11 at Hollywood. The 4-year-old A.P. Indy colt has been on the rebound from throat surgery after finishing eighth in the Clark Handicap Nov. 24 at Churchill Downs, which was won by Surfside.